Life is Strange - Arcadia Angel
by THlSisSNAKE
Summary: A New Episodic Adventure Set in 2015, The Max Caulfield Story Continues. Filled with New Characters, and a new kind of Action. Max finds herself in a new City, with a Career as a Photographer. But the Storm Rages On, Which Begs the Question, Was Her Sacrifice the Only Way? The Real Villian is on the Rise. Can Max Find a way to save herself? Her Friends? And the Town She Loves?


I Have to tell you, the version of this story written for its own website is the Full Effect. Complete With Pictures and Music, Link to DONTNOD, and an overall better experience. Webs Version Available a h-t-t-p-/ /l-i-f-e-i-s-s-t-r-a-n-g-e-.-w-e-b-s-.-c-o-m

* * *

When I First heard about Life is Strange, it was back in 2014. Just a preview written in an issue of Game Informer. And from what I was reading, I wanted to play it immediately. I was really into adventure games like this, and coming off the heels of The Last of Us, which at the time was the game that was setting the bar for what is to be expected as far as storytelling within video games.

Life is Strange had big shoes to fill, trying to overcome Telltale games, who at the time at the homefield advantage. It seemed like a good story-driven fantasy from the creators of another game that was receiving good reviews, Remember Me. It seemed like a game I could get into.

However it slipped my mind, between my schedule, and the troubles that were going on in my own life I never got the chance to play it. Up until a week before the final episode dropped. I finally saw that the episodes were cheap, and at the time I was looking for more things I Could play that didnt necessarily require me to have internet for anything other than the download. And it was then I played it.

By the end of the second episode I was hooked, I was up for a couple of days rocking the episodes back to back simply because I needed answers more than I needed sleep. Until the day and half came speculating over what the final episode on October 20th had in store. And I was NOT Disappointed.

After it was over, I was left in a state of shock, crying my eyes out, and with a new found passion for the things I had once took forgranted. My friends, my family, the things I had been missing, and I think it sticks with us like this because we all have lost things, have made regrets, and have things in our past that we wish we could change. The story sticks with us because we fall in love with the characters, we see ourselves in each and every one of them.

It was then I found the community, whether it be on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, or random message boards, the Life is Strange community is full of people who really do see good in each other, and want the best for one another. It was really refreshing to see all that positivity brought out of a vast majority of people.

DONTNOD and Square-Enix created and Published a game that brought so many people together, that makes a difference in so many peoples lives. That saves Lives, a makes people believe in something better. Opening peoples eyes to the consequences of their actions, and makes them understand that sometimes there are things you just can't change. But never to give up on themselves. And for this, I think the creators and producers are real Everyday Heroes.

For those of you who have chosen to take this next step in the Max Caulfield journey, I thank you. Sincerely, the characters touched me so much, and I would like to bring as much as I can to others who might have felt the same way. So to those of who you read these words, I can't thank you enough, and I hope you enjoy what I have in store for you.

\- Sincerely - House Pricefield

-And Now, Episode 1-

* * *

The smell of eggs and bacon fill Max's nostrils as her vision fades in from white. She looks slowly around the room, Chloe's home was always one of her favorite places. She grips her arm, rubbing her thumb tenderly against her skin. Her eyes swell, filling with an all too familiar feeling, she shakes her head back and forth, trying to shake off the feeling pushing through her skull. As the two standing at the counter laugh with each other she cant help herself anymore, letting out a gentle cry as a tear begins to drop from the pit of her eye. She's been here before, but this time it feels different. Only able to watch, to listen, hearing Chloe's voice again is something she finds heartwarming, and for a moment, the young girl catches herself wishing she could stay. The phone rings, like it did the first time. She steps to the fireplace, trying to keep herself from getting in the way. Forcing herself not to intervene. The girl standing at the counter looks at her, seeing something different in her young friend on the other side of the room. As the man searches for his keys Max remembers, how easy it was to make such a simple change, a change that would affect the lives of the people she loved so much. She hides her face from them, facing the fireplace, quickly wiping the tears from her cheeks. As the man makes his final jokes, the girl near the counter laughs, bidding her father a fond farewell, the last she would ever share with him. Max can feel it, the tension pushing into her mind, her time is running out. She turns to her friend now making her way towards her from the kitchen.

CHLOE  
"Hey, are you okay? Something seems like its bothering you."

As the young girl turns, she can no longer hold back the tears. She softly grips her friend by the shoulders and chokes out the last words she will ever share with her.

MAX  
"Chloe, I just... I just want you to know... that no matter what happens between us... wherever this crazy life takes us... no matter where I am, or what I do... You will always be my best friend, and I will Always Love You."

Chloe sees the sincerity like which she has never seen in her friend before. She pulls her in and holds her as she begins to cry openly. Max holds Chloe tight, burying her head into the pit of her neck.

CHLOE  
"Max... I Love you too. I'll know, I'll always know."

MAX  
"I will always remember you Chloe... Always."

She looks into her friends blue eyes for the last time, as the world crashes down around her. Fading from white to blood red, and suddenly its over.

Max's body jumps up from the bed, the old photo cradled against her chest. She can feel the dried tears upon her cheeks as she sits up on the bed. She looks down at the picture of the two of them one last time. Slowly, she tears the photograph, letting it fall to the floor. Into the sunlight shining in from her dormitory window. As her head falls backwards against the pillow, she finds herself unable to stop herself any longer. And with a soft whimper it begins.

* * *

 **Life is Strange - Arcadia Angel - Chapter 1: Over Exposed**

 **-November 2nd, 2015-**

* * *

 _"Its been two long years since my days in Arcadia. Five seemingly insane days that I will never be able to erase from my memory. I wish I could say that we won, that we changed our own destiny. But the universe it seems had other plans. There isn't a day that goes by, that I dont see her face, hear her words echoing from the past. The thought that I should never have left, that maybe if I had only stayed with her maybe things wouldn't have turned out the way they did. But I guess I've used up all of my "What ifs". Its sad to think that everything that happened in that week only happened inside my head, that no one else other than me could ever understand. I've never spoken a word of it to anyone, not David, Joyce, Kate, or even Warren. How could they even begin to believe me? Where would I even begin? People would think I was crazy. But maybe its for the best, maybe the things that I experienced in those days will only ever be for us, for me. I'm sorry I couldn't save you Chloe, I tried so hard, and we came so far. For it to all mean what? The question I ask myself every single day is if what I did was right, if what I did was Just. God, a person has to do mental gymnastics trying to justify the things we had to do. I've seen what feels like a thousand worlds, a thousand realities, created outcomes, and watched destiny be swept into the sea. I wish you were here, I wish it could have been different._

 _I Love you - Max Caulfield._

Max closes the pages of the diary set upon the table. Drawing the shades taking the light off the table. Her tiny apartment is adorned in different decorations, from Posters, photographs, strange pieces of art she's collected. She pushes herself away from the desk, rubbing the sleepy sand from her eyes. Its still pretty early in the morning, but real life is proving to be even weirder than she had expected. In the two years since Arcadia Bay Max has found herself a niche in the photography community in San Francisco. Shooting freelance for the local newspapers. Since the Everyday Heroes Contest, doors opened up for Max, not as many as she would have hoped for, but it was easier than someone just trying to break onto the scene on their own.

California was a nice place, not as quiet as Arcadia Bay, but its where the work was. The move wasn't easy, Joyce and David helped out more than they needed to, and now the old tan truck sat parked on the curb outside. The apartment Max had found wasn't much, but it was enough for a single woman, the living room was small, she had rented it half furnished with an old gray couch and a coffee table. The single bedroom was even smaller, resembling the room she had stayed in when she had gone to Blackwell, a collage of shots she'd taken up on the wall, a computer sat on the desk against the far wall, used for editing photo's and storing her now seemingly endless library of music. An American Flag hanging sideways across the window on the other side of the room. The whole place was livable, Not too bad for the price they were asking, especially in the part of town it was located in.

There was so much on Max's mind today, there were a number of photographs that she had meant to deliver to one of the many publishers she worked with. And with the end of the month fast approaching, a little extra money was always an issue. The glorious life of a photographer not so much what it seemed from her chair back in Blackwell. She had been working much of her time away, much of it was spent listening to the Police ban, a small Scanner sat on the desk next to her computer. Although unpleasant, as it sometimes was to look for good stories that way, she found it a more expedited process than driving around looking for cool things to shoot. She pulled the scrapbook from under her bed and placed it on the table, shuffling through a number of pages until she found a set of pictures from a new exhibit in the downtown area.

The neighborhood Max lived in was near the inner bay, kind of convenient she thought. Having everything so close to home. And she had found that living in an apartment building wasn't so different from the dormitories. That coupled with the line of work she found herself in she had become more than comfortable with herself. In the year she had been living in the city she had made a couple of friends. They met almost everyday at a diner close to the bay, going over shots, and swapping stories.

As Max slides on her old, gray, hooded sweatshirt she hears the familiar knock at her front door. Followed soon after by a set of rings on her doorbell. She rolls her eyes and tucks the photos into her satchel. She grabs the tattered notebook off the desk and tucking it away as well. The ringing intensifies as she makes her way towards the door, pulling it open.

MAX  
"Are you Kidding Me Hannah!?"

The figure standing on the other side of the door is a girl looking to be in her early 20's, a big taller than Max, but with the same basic body type. Her hair is a dark brown, tied back in a pony-tail. She wears a tattered, tan army style jacket over a black T-shirt with white lettering. A dark necklace, fitted with a set of Dogtags hangs around her neck. Ripped blue jeans and a pair of dirty black Vans. She smirks confidently as Max shakes her head in irritation.

HANNAH  
"Just had to make sure your up, now come on lets hit it."

 **Hannah Williams** had worked with Max covering a couple of different stories given to her by one of the bigger editors in the city. She was from Wisconsin, having joined the United States Marine Corps under the Combat Camera MOS. She had worked in almost everyone environment imaginable from Afghanistan to the arctic circle, and was trained in a number of different types of warfare. She had gone through a couple of deployments, blown up some stuff, and eaten her share of Meals-Ready-To-Eat. She was tough, and one of the reasons Max found herself pushing so hard. It was always good to have competition, but where Max had an eye for more of a tranquil, Cartier-Bresson type photography. Hannah was more the type to put herself in the action, having pictures featured in places like The Guardian. She had a different outlook on photography, always said that sometimes people are unable to comprehend what truly goes on in the world, and its the job of the camera to tell a story, it was something that she did well.

HANNAH  
"So, I missed you at the party last night."

MAX  
"You know I never have any fun at those things, just a bunch of pretentious assholes walking around making passive aggressive comments at each other."

HANNAH  
"Hey, I find myself relating to those passive aggressive assholes, at least when I'm drunk."

Max rolled her eyes.

HANNAH  
"Besides, making yourself known in the scene wouldn't hurt, dont you think?"

She had a point. It had been a while since Max had been to a social function. Being kind of a extrovert was a part of the game, something Max found herself wrestling with. Not for the lack of confidence, just the lack of toleration for high inebriated people in large numbers.

MAX  
"Right as you may be, I just wasn't feeling up to it last night, I don't have any money to spend on that kind of shit anyways."

HANNAH  
"Max you know I got you, as broke as I am you know I'm always willing to look out for you. Besides, its nice to have someone who'll at least pretend to be my girlfriend, those guys are fucking annoying."

MAX  
"And just like that, your one step closer to understanding my reasoning. I've got enough on my plate already without having to worry about someone trying to... you know what nevermind."

HANNAH  
"Whoa, And just like that, I figured you out completely."

Max once again had to roll her eyes, she know what Hannah was getting at. Its not like she disagreed, but it was easier for her to make friends when there wasn't any underlying objective. In the year and a half that passed since leaving Arcadia, she hadn't really wanted to become too attached to anyone. Hannah was really the only one in the longest time that Max could actually say she felt genuinely close to. Even if they were so different from one another.

Max had gotten used to her overzealous personality. It wasn't too uncommon for Max to be shaken out of bed by the sound of Hannah pounding on her door. She lived a couple doors down from her, so most days of the week she was the first person Max saw. The two always had to wake up early, as with most photographers, trying to get the shots for the morning papers. The Chronicle was usually their default choice, being that it was so close to home. Just a quick walk around the corner and they were there.

The place was busy this morning, Max could sense an bit of urgency in the way everyone seemed to be rushing around. The Senior Editor was a woman in her late thirties, her name was Audrey Cooper, and was actually well respected. Had even been described by a fellow editor as "One of the Emerging Leaders of Our Industry." She was an upbeat, enthusiastic individual that liked to know the people working under her, and usually had time to spend with Max and her companion. But today it seemed was different. The secretary simply took the photo's and handed the two of them checks, waving them off as quickly as they arrived. As the two stepped back onto the street Max seemed a bit more than puzzled.

MAX  
"What you think that was about?"

HANNAH  
"Who knows... but who am I to bitch about fast cash."

It wasn't that Max had an issue, it was still early, and she needed her coffee. She shook off the momentary feeling of confusion as the two headed towards the shop. Hannah's phone buzzed from her pocket, shining the screen through her jeans. She flips through it, smirking to herself.

HANNAH  
"Zoeys wondering where we are."

MAX  
"We're on the way."

The coffee shop was another couple of blocks from her apartment. It was a little place shoved in between a Tobacco Store and an Asian food market. The place was a little busier than it normally was at this time of the morning. As the two entered the Shop a girl sitting across the room waved her hand in the air. She wore a black leather jacket, with a faded pink liner. A old Punk-style shirt and black ripped jeans. She sat behind the monitor of her Laptop, flipping through her photo-gallery. Her camera, a Nikon D810, with matching Speedlight, and DX NIKKOR Lense, of which Max was more than envious. Her LUMIX G7 was nothing compared to that monster. The two sat down and Hannah wasted no time going in on the girl sitting in the booth.

HANNAH  
"What's up Slut!?"

 **Zoey Ryback** came from the almost dystopian wreckage that was Detroit. A photographer from one of the nations most violent cities, Zoey too was used to seeing the darker side of society. From the crime-rates that had brought the city to its knees, to the budget cuts that she said "Turned the city's high-rise buildings into nothing but gravestones against the gray background of steel and oil." Max had found that it had caused Zoey to become somewhat cynical when it came to matters of social commentary. Which worked out fine because alot of the stories Zoey liked to cover dealt with just that, Conspiracy, Social wrong-doings, things of that nature. She had worked with Hannah on a number of different projects in the states, but always seemed to come up second best. Not to be discouraged however she found herself pushing harder and harder to make herself a recognized photographer.

Outside of her work as a photographer Max found Zoey, like Hannah, to gravitate towards professions that might put her in a bit of Danger. Having worked for a mob family in Detroit for a number of years, a number of jobs fell under that description. She saw Photography as her first real love, and when the opportunity came she used it as a way to separate herself from the life she had been living. Whether it was looking down the barrel of a gun, or the viewfinder in her camera, Zoey had a knack for nailing the shot.

ZOEY  
"Bitch, can we just not talk about last night?"

Hannah laughed, shaking her head, Zoey's eyes stayed awkwardly locked on her computer screen.

MAX  
"Okay, what the hell happened?"

HANNAH

"Well-"

ZOEY  
"Nothing! I Totally didn't make a fucking ass off myself, nowhere I wasn't supposed to be."

MAX  
"Okay that's pretty Cryptic. I take it you found your way to the party last night?"

Hannah's laughter bordered on some kind of witchy cackling. She covered her mouth as she looked around the room at the people who were kind of staring in confusion. She waved them off and turned back to her friend who was in the middle of some over-the-top eye roll.

ZOEY  
"Will you just shut the fuck up, God, your making us awkward."

HANNAH  
"I know, I'm sorry. But, damn Max, you should have been there."

MAX  
"Zoey, I'm sorry but I have to know, I Haven't seen someone laugh tears in a while."

Zoey shook her head, obviously peeved at Hannah's outburst of enthusiasm.

ZOEY  
"Okay, last night was rediculous, I had too much to drink and ended up passing out at the party, a guy tried to pick me up and I guess I knocked him out."

HANNAH  
"It wasn't even that, he tried to move you so his girlfriend could sit down and you blasted BOTH of them! Max it was insane the entire party was in chaos! I wish I had my camera."

MAX  
"You Didn't?"

HANNAH  
"Man, fuck no, you think I would risk having my baby stolen by some retard at some party? Not today mother fucker."

MAX  
"Thats a good point, I don't think I'd want to bring this puppy around a crowd like that either. But Damn, I'm sorry Zoey, that sounds awful."

Zoey nodded her head, it was nice to hear someone who was actually sincere, she had been feeling embarrassed, guilty, and sick since it happened.

MAX  
"Could have been worse, believe me I've seen the kind of fucked up stuff that can happen at these type of parties. I'm just glad your okay."

Zoey nodded her head, flipping through her gallery.

ZOEY  
"I Guess it wasn't all that bad, just another night in the life of a rock-star."

Zoey managed a smile, Max always had a way of making her feel better.

MAX  
"So whats up this morning, your the one with the computer in front of you, use it for something useful."

Zoey chuckled and clicked open the browser. She flipped through a couple of news pages, landing on a San Francisco Community Calendar. This was another easy spot to find out if there was anything worth going to, often times Zoey and Hannah were more the "Listen to the Police Ban" type of photographers but Zoey knew that Max was the type to enjoy the simpler, more peaceful side of the news. Today's date had only a couple of things mentioned, something at the music hall, a play, and a Outdoor Business Exhibit at the Lafayette Park. Max nodded her head, the Lafayette park wasn't that far away, and it started early enough that she might be able to sneak some time by the bay, the people down there were always really nice.

MAX  
"I wonder what exactly a Business Exhibit is?"

Hannah rolled her eyes.

HANNAH  
"Its like where a bunch of suit and ties come together and talk about how rich everyone is."

Zoey chuckled to herself, Waving Hannah's thoroughly one sided opinion off.

ZOEY  
"Its kind of like that, except for like aspiring up and coming business's they get to meet with people from the community like Architects, promotional representatives, graphic artists, you know, things like that. Not the most interesting group of people, but sometimes they come up with some pretty cool stuff. They usually want photographers on site to... you know, let it be known that stuff like this actually helps people."

HANNAH  
"Yeah if you like standing around like a tool looking at Square buildings."

ZOEY  
"Hannah, go get some fucking Coffee."

Hannah rolled her eyes, stepping off towards the bar, leaving the two girls to the computer screen.

MAX  
"Got anything going on today? I know Hannah won't want to come with me to this thing."

ZOEY  
"I Guess I've got nothing, but I think she needs it, something to back her goddamn foot off the gas for a while. I Swear she had me out of my element last night."

Max knew that Hannah wasn't always the easiest person to keep up with. She was always running down some ridiculous story, or chasing around cop cars trying to get a picture of some shoot-out, wreck, or something worse. She partied on the weekdays trying to get herself a few contacts in the industry. Most of these things were easy for Zoey to keep up with, but as far as the parties, and drinking were something else entirely. Max had only been on a couple of real shoots with the two girls in their prime, it made her uneasy, to say the least.

MAX  
"It sure sounds like it, its not all bad, she means well."

ZOEY  
"Yeah I guess..."

MAX  
"I really hope there's something down there to photograph, the paper usually doesn't run these types of things, I usually just end up, selling them back to whoever lets me take them."

ZOEY  
"If you can get those Business types to buy anything, you've done a bit of magic for the day. And hey, at least you'll have something for the mysterious Max Caulfield scrap-book."

Max laughed but only to hide the fact that she was worried. All joking aside she needed to find a way to make some cash. The money in her pocket was just a start, even with the way Hannah and Zoey worked the job it was barely paying the bills. When Max thought about the Photography field she always thought it would be more lucrative. She had started to feel like she was losing touch with what she originally wanted to get out of it, in the beginning, at Blackwell, it was just about feeling happy with herself, trying to make people understand the way she saw the world. Where now it was about a check, as sad as it was.

MAX  
"Your right, but with the way its been going the last couple of weeks I don't know whats about to happen with my place."

ZOEY  
"What happened with you and that Magazine guy? Derren, or David, whatever his name was."

Derek, that was his name. Not that anyone other than Max would remember, he never really came around and they never saw each other but a couple times. It was never for his qualities, a fact for which Max found herself confused by her own methods. He was nice enough, had everything together, a Magazine, good references, and he was known around San Francisco for his photography. The thing about Derek was, he didn't really see Max as the Photographer she was. He had been apart of Everyday Heroes, but he didn't seem to Recognize Max or her entry there-in. One thing led to another, and it ultimately didn't work out. And the more she talked to him, she started to realize that he wasn't trying to help her career, only the notches on his belt.

MAX  
"Fuck that dude..."

ZOEY  
"Oh, a little something in the water Max?"

Zoey's playful words were quickly shaken off. Max winced at the thought of actually dating a guy like that.

MAX  
"Yeah, the fucking Kraken, that guy was a douche, don't even."

ZOEY  
"Sucks for ya man, I thought he was going to put you on to some work. Nothing like consistency."

She flipped through a number of papers that had been sitting beside the computer.

ZOEY  
"All this running around guessing is getting stupid. Peter Parker wouldn't put up with shit like this."

Max chuckles, shaking her head as Hannah steps back over, a tray of Coffee in her hand.

HANNAH  
"Here you go, Sista's. Life-giving Potions Brewed by the Finest of Hogwarts Young Wizards."

Max takes the coffee from the tray, opening the lid she can see that once again Hannah has neglected to order anything other than bitter, black, coffee.

MAX  
"You know, it really says something about your personality if you drink this terrible bullshit."

Hannah shakes her head as she sips her drink. Zoey smirks on, pouring a number of creamers from the table into her cup, before Max can reach for one, they're gone.

MAX  
"You gonna leave some or what?"

ZOEY  
"Sorry Max, if it wasn't me it'd be you, go ask our Coffee Wizard for some."

A bit peeved, but never the less desperate for the coffee in the cup. Max steps off to the bar, the boy standing behind the counter is from Mission. His name was Jonathan, She's seen him around and he's usually the one working here when they come in for their morning drink. He is a little older, Max figured he was probably in his late twenties. A bit older than the type she would find herself dating, but that aside, he wasn't all that bad looking. From his Spiffy Hair, short on the sides but long on the top, died a bit blonde and hanging down the side to his shoulder.

MAX  
"Hey, I'm sorry, but could you-"

JONATHAN  
"Put something in that so its not Disgusting? Yeah, I can do that."

Max laughed as she handed him the cup.

MAX  
"So how is it this morning? Doesn't seem too busy."

JONATHAN  
"Its okay, how bout you guys, anything interesting in the world of a Paparazzo?"

MAX  
"I Dont know if I'm all that..."

The boy laughs, turning to the mixing station.

JONATHAN  
"Name your poison."

There were multiple options, but Max being the white girl that she was, and seeing that the cup was already sort of hovering underneath the spout, she made her choice as:

MAX  
"Pumpkin Spice... You know, White Girl."

JONATHAN  
"You know its ridiculous how much of this I actually go through, you'd think the female body could only hold so much pumpkin."

Max chuckles cutely as he hands her back the cup. As a group of hipsters from the school across town come through the door, blowing vape that smelled like Caramel, Mint.

JONATHAN  
"I Guess I'll see you, Max."

Max nods her head politely, turning to step back towards the table she can't help but notice her smile. She doesn't even know why she's smiling, but something about their interaction made her feel happier, it was either that, or the fact that she could now enjoy a cup of coffee, perfect.

MAX  
"So what you guys figure out? Is Hannah coming with us to the thing?"

HANNAH  
"Yeah I'll come with you guys to your boring thing, gotta be better than whatever I was going to do with my morning."

The fact of the matter was, Hannah was going to do nothing with her Morning, aside from sit hopelessly in her apartment eating pizza and catching up on The Walking Dead.

ZOEY  
"Right, cuz you had plans anyways."

HANNAH  
"What? Chilling by yourself watching Episodes and worrying about your life is a plan."

The park wasn't too far from the Coffee Shop. But with Zoey in the mix, walking was not. Wasn't too bad though, Max always liked riding in Zoey's car, it gave her a nostalgic feel. An all Black Buick Grand National. When Max had asked Zoey about the work that had gone into it she would have gone on an endless rant which would have lasted most of the day, which really never ended up being worth anything because Max had no idea what she was doing when it came to cars or engines. It was loud, it was fast, and it got them around. Hannah always refused to sit in the back seat, said it was like trying fit inside a tin can. Max found it alright, she was the smallest of the group so it was easy for her to fit in the confined space. As the car rumbled to life the vibration of the engine cracked a smile on Zoey's face.

MAX  
"Oh Fuck, Don't Drive like a-"

Zoey's foot dropped the clutch and the car jumped forward. Max grabbed the back of the drivers seat as the two girls in the front seat laughed as they were instantly stuck in traffic, the engine resuming its gentle rumble.

ZOEY  
"Your so much fun to fuck with its irresistible, Sorry Max."

MAX  
"Your a bitch, don't talk to me."

Max's feign anger is met with hysterical laughter. As the light turned Hannah plugged in the tunes.

The music blares over the speakers sticking out of the panel behind the headrest in the backseat of the car. Max timidly sips her coffee, her head was so not ready for the level of volume Hannah had it locked in. Zoey laughed and the two in the front seat shared a conversation, their mouths moving but unintelligible over the sound of the music. Hannah laughs and turns to Max, mouth moving, but no words. Max moves her head closer, holding her hand up to her ear. Hannah shouts, Max made out some Vowels that time. She shakes her head and sits back, sipping the coffee in her cup. Hannah smiles and turns the music down.

HANNAH  
"I Said, your into this type of music,Right? MC Lars Over here doesn't like it."

MAX  
"I mean, I guess its not Infant Annihilator?"

HANNAH  
"See Bitch, Max is on the boat!"

Zoey rolls her eyes as the Music turns back up. It was getting a little later in the morning, most of the neighborhood was awake. The streets were getting busy, the businesses were opening up for the day, joggers, skaters, the weird power walking middle aged ladies out in force. Hannah holds her camera up as the car cruises past a set of skateboarders, the camera flashes as one of them raises two fingers as he lands a kick-flip off the curve. Not a bad shot, Max nods her head approvingly as Hannah flips through the photos in her camera.

As the car rolls up to the parking lot of Lafayette park the event is just setting up. A number of exhibits have been set up along the walkway leading up to the playground. Architecture mostly, some people that looked like they might have been investors of some kind, and a representative from the local business union. The three step out of the car, Hannah stretching before pushing the seat forward for Max.

MAX  
"So, this doesn't look... too bad."

There is a certain level of skepticism in her voice. Hannah's expression is none the more reassuring as she looks around at the surrounding area.

ZOEY  
"Well this looks... like it might be interesting."

Zoey too, as much as she liked to have a positive idea of things, was even a bit skeptical of the situation. Hannah sat back down in the passengers seat and started flipping through her phone. A new text flashing on the screen.

HANNAH  
"I Guess, Penny is wondering where the hell we are."

Zoey shook her head.

ZOEY  
"We were just at the shop, tell her to meet us here."

After a couple clicks, the message was sent. And almost immediately was replied to.

HANNAH  
"She said she's skating."

ZOEY  
"Well that sucks, she should'a been up earlier."

Zoey stepped around the front of her car, lighting a cigarette and sitting down on the hood, blowing a puff of smoke into the air. Max took the Camera from her bag and attached the wide-angle lens.

ZOEY  
"Think your gonna be able to get anything?"

MAX  
"I don't know, I'm starting to have second thoughts..."

Zoey shook it off, patting her friend on the back.

ZOEY  
"Nonsense, like you said, at least you might be able to sell something back to these guys. They always like to have... you know... different forms of media to show people."

Zoey was right, and as troubling as Max found it working for whatever meager earnings she could. There really wasn't any other choice. She didn't really know where to start, there was a good view of the bay area from here, the sloping hillside over the buildings leading down to Fisherman's Warf. The shot was perfect, she already knew the filter she could throw over it. She flipped through the settings on the back of her camera for a moment, no sooner had she finished than the sound of skateboard wheels is heard.

 **Penelope Taylor** , Penny. Came from New York, the big city. And she wore it like a badge of honor. Having Graduated from Columbia University, a private College in Upper Manhattan she knew what it was like to have high standards placed upon her at a young age. Something that Max found familiar, which is part of the reason the two found it so easy to get along. Where the other three members of the group were more into Still-Imagery capturing the essence of Photography. Penny was into Film-making, she had done a couple of student films in college as Director and Actor, but nothing ever really got her off the ground. She spent some time in Las Angeles, trying to chase the "American Dream". Unfortunately the world of competitive production showed to be a little stiffer and unforgiving than she would have hoped. She worked as a Paralegal during most days, having a degree in Social Sciences made it easier to slide into a profession. As it stood, she was the only member of the group with a fully stable mode of income, rather, one that was "On-The-Books".

In her spare time she had created a following in the San Francisco Skate-Scene, pairing up with a couple of Local Shops and Parks, creating an outlet for up and coming skaters to be found, she called it "San Francisco Rush", she filmed and edited videos for clients, for pretty much whatever they could pay her.

She was a punk at heart, like Zoey, regardless of what her Day-To-Day job had to say about the fashion. Max was taken back for a moment, Penny kicked her board into the grass, straightening her backpack. A Black beanie sat upon her head, letting her hair hang down the sides, a Small Black Hooded Sweatshirt with a Red and Yellow Symbol over the words "San Francisco Rush." written across it in some Chaotic Font. A pendant necklace hanging from her neck and a set of tight, ripped, blue jeans, her Vans Super-Highs set it off. Max smiled, looking at the three of them as Hannah stepped out of the car.

HANNAH  
"Well well well, fashionably late huh?"

PENNY  
"Yeah, fashionable."

A set of sarcastic glances were shared between the two before the snap of Max's old Polaroid camera is heard in the background.

ZOEY  
"Hey, what I say about catching me Off guard."

Max flips the photo in her hand and tucks it into her pack.

MAX  
"Its genuine, I like it."

PENNY  
"What are you guys doing out here, with all these... suits?"

She shook her hand at the people lining the Kiosks up the hill. Hannah glanced up, covering her eyes to the morning Sun coming over the buildings above the park.

HANNAH  
"This is Max, Can't you tell?"

PENNY  
"It did have a certain, Caulfield plainness."

Max chuckled to herself, brushing off the cynical observation.

MAX  
"Hey, I like my Plainness."

Her friend's were always poking fun at her. It didn't really bother her, they had their own vision on what they wanted to be remembered for, Max had hers. She stepped up the pathway towards the exhibits. Where most of the people had set up their Kiosks. She snaps a couple shots of the rows of tents, a few of the representatives wave to her as the camera flashes. She works her way up towards the playground and its then she sees it, something that drives into her mind like a railroad spike.

A Single, Blue, Butterfly.

It flutters passed her, bringing the figure of a girl into view, sitting upon the park bench, flipping through her phone. As Max steps closer the Butterfly circles the girls head a couple times, bringing the girl out of her social media. She smiles playfully, laughing as the Butterfly moves from left to right around her body. Max raises her camera as the girl raises her finger, the butterfly landing calmly upon its length. The camera snaps and suddenly Max feels it. Like the oxygen has been ripped violently from her lungs, an overwhelming pressure in her head. The pulsating feeling, familiar, but at this moment frightening, and with a flash, shes gone.

The San Francisco Skyline disappears, fading into blood stained white, the grass itself changes colors under her feet. The Buildings falling backwards in cascading fashion, replaced by Pine trees, the smell filling her nostrils and the roaring sound of the storm in the distance. The cool feeling of the sea breeze courses through her hair, slowly Max opens her eyes. Shuddering, unable to believe what she sees, the shadow of the lighthouse casting down upon the dirt path. Lightning crashes overhead, shaking the ground at her feet as the trees sway back and forth.

She pushed up the path, as the cold rain crashed upon her face. An overwhelming sense of fear grips her entire body. Where had she gone wrong? Why was any of this happening? The questions ripping through her thoughts like a wrecking ball. As she rounds the corner she sees it, the towering, spiraling Column, stretching into the clouds above. As the lightning flashes, she makes out a slender outline. And suddenly, she finds it hard to breath.

As she steps towards the top of the trail, She chokes back the lump growing in her throat as the figure turns to face her. Her eye's burning back the tears filling her eyelids. Chloe's face, as beautiful and vibrant as the last time Max saw her, smiling warmly. Max reaches out her hand towards Chloe, who takes it in her own.

As Max reaches her, Chloe points towards the Tornado. A leaflet flying through the air finds its way to the bench at their side. Chloe nods her head calmly towards the article printed on the pages of the paper. Max reached down, spreading open the article, seeing Nathan Prescott's face, on the steps of some Courthouse, his father smiling on in his background.

"Millionaire Son Released From Prison"

A whole new feeling of fear overcomes Max, but Chloe only smiles on. Putting her finger against Max's chest. Max feels it, a burst of energy, like an adrenaline shot directly to her heart. She looked down at herself, unsure of what it all means. Chloe's fingers under her chin lift her head, locked in a stare with her best friend. Chloe softly nods her head and in Max's head she can hear her voice.

"These Choices Laid before you, and only you. I've seen your Strength, and from where I am now I understand how much you cared, and how hard you tried. Its going to Happen again, and Arcadia Bay is going to need you. Be Strong Max Caulfield, and I'll be right here, your hands in mine, and I will not let you go."

The wind whips her hair back and forth, the rumbling of the ground at her feet, and the feeling of the cold sea air, it all feels so real. Chloe nods her head over Max's shoulder, back towards the path she had come from. As Max turns a set of blue outlines can be seen emerging from the tree-line. First the Doe, the symbol that Max had been so familiar with. Then Flutters a Light blue butterfly, pushing its way through the wind crashing through the trees, they make their way towards the girls, confident in the face of the coming storm. Behind them a Wolf emerges, shaking its fur through the now pouring rain. The next is a Hawk, finding its way through the branches, landing upon the bench, its head rotating curiously. And finally, a small fox rustles free from the bushes. As the Animal's approach the two girls, Chloe looks into Max's eyes, smiling warmly, and Max finds herself reassured as the two turn back, facing the storm.

Max feels the world crash down again, the horizon being sucked into an oblivion of red swirls. And just like that, she's back in the park, the warm sun down upon her back, the feeling of Chloe's hand still in hers. She struggles to catch her breath as she collapses to the ground, choking and coughing, blood pouring from her nose. She feels hands wrap around her, pulling her to her feet. She is led over to the bench and sat down, a black handkerchief is handed to her. As she puts it to her nose she looks up, her eyes still adjusting to the new light. Standing over her, is the butterfly girl she had photographed.

"You Okay? You looked like you were having a stroke."

Max nodded her head, trying to put what just happened together. Stuck somewhere between sadness, fear and confusion. She choked back the lump in her throat, unable to stop the tears trickling down her cheeks. Her head throbbed like it hadn't in so long, it had been almost two years since she had used the rewind, since she had a black-out. The girl looked on, her head turning to the side, almost in a state of wonder. Max looked up at the girl, wiping the tears from her face with her free hand. An overwhelming feeling of dread and desperation filled her thoughts. But with no way to fully communicate the visions in her head, she used what strength she had to fight back the urge to express what she was really feeling.

MAX  
"I'm okay, this is just, just-"

It was then that her friends, came running up the hill. Chloe's words still hanging thick inside her head. "Its Going to Happen Again." She said. Max kept thinking to herself, she needed to get back to Arcadia, that there had to be something she must have missed, something she didn't do. She wanted to cry, having thought all this time that Sacrificing her best friend was the only way to save Arcadia. Chloe told her, convinced her, said goodbye...

PENNY  
"Holy shit Max, what the hell happened?"

ZOEY  
"Yeah, you went down- Oh my god!"

The three were taken back by the blood still pouring from Max's nose, almost covering the handkerchief. Max had a choice to make, she could feel it, the throbbing in the back of her head. The choice to tell them, but would they believe her? Or would they think she was out of her mind? She decided to keep it to herself, try to figure it out on her own.

HANNAH  
"Well damn Max, apparently I was the one who missed the party."

Penny shook her head at the inappropriate humor. Seeing the distraught look on Max's face she sat down beside her friend, drawing another rag from her backpack. Max tilts her head back, letting Penny hold the rag against her face. The Butterfly girl looking on, a look of curious concern upon her face. Penny looked up at her,

PENNY  
"So, who's your friend?"

There were a couple of awkward moments as the young girl looks around at the four of them.

MAX  
"I Never caught her name... I just... took her photo."

"Eve, my name's Eve."

She rubbed her arm nervously as the three nodded their heads.

HANNAH  
"There goes Max, always making friends."

Max chuckled to herself as the bleeding finally subsided. She pulled the rag off her face and wiped what was left of the blood from her upper lip. The throbbing in her head was gone, she looked up at the girl. Who still had the most inquisitive look. And for a moment Max caught herself thinking, wondering if the girl knew. The look on her face, was saying more than intended. A Coincidence she thought, but somehow it felt like more. The image of Chloe's face still burned into the center of her thoughts. Her words still echoing in her head.

Max found herself remembering the day it all started, the blue butterfly in the bathroom at Blackwell Academy. How a simple photograph, a simple decision changed the course of her entire life. And yet, here she was again, it couldn't all just be coincidence. Max reached down, picking up her instant camera from the sidewalk, shaking the photo in her hand. She holds it out, the girl nervously takes the photo, looking at it brings a smile to her face, her figure almost like a silhouette against the backdrop of the buildings, the butterfly sat upon her finger.

EVE  
"This is... really cool."

Max nodded her head humbly. There is a look in the girls eyes, a look that draws her in. If Chloe was speaking to her, trying to tell her something, when a door closes, a window opens Max says to herself. Slowly she begins to compose herself, running her hand through her hair. As the conversation sets off, she can't help but keep telling herself that there was no way that this could have been a coincidence. The last time she saw the butterfly, life seemed to spin out of control, and it all fell back to the feet of her best friend. A Blue haired Princess that had made the world seem so much brighter. As Max looked up at the Girl, she saw the same glimmer, the same confident, wild nature that was inside of Chloe. There was no way it was all just chance, she was supposed to meet this girl, but why?

HANNAH  
"Shouldn't a kid be in school?"

Her snide tone reminded Max of Victoria for a moment. The young girl chuckled to herself, shaking her head.

EVE  
"Not that its any of your business, but I'm in the middle of transferring."

MAX  
"Don't be a bitch Hannah. I'm sorry, some of my friends are Rude-asses."

The girl laughed as Max stood from the bench, handing the rag back to the girl, who sort of waved it off.

EVE  
"Nah, you keep it, never know when you might need it."

ZOEY  
"You think we should... ya know... take Max to a hospital or something?"

MAX  
"I'm Fine Zoey..."

ZOEY

"Yeah, You look like it..."

Sarcasm aside she had a point. She could still feel some residual pressure, but it was slowly subsiding.

EVE  
"So, what, are you guys like? Reporters? Or Paparazzi or something?"

PENNY  
"Not reporters, wouldn't find ourselves so lucky."

Eve nodded her head.

EVE  
"So you thought a picture of a chick and a butterfly would be... Marketable? Don't get me wrong I get the Aesthetic idea."

Max flared her eyebrows, she really didn't have a good answer. Something in the girls tone told her that she didn't see anything out of the ordinary about what had just happened.

MAX  
"Well, I guess it just makes a good shot, something people don't see everyday."

ZOEY  
"It would probably make for a good shot in the Gallery."

The De Young Museum Gallery. Max had her first big break a couple years ago, and since then had donated a couple of her shots to the gallery. Had gotten a couple of calls from people looking to buy, but unfortunately no one who could put her on to any real work.

EVE  
"I can see that I suppose. I try and get as many shots as I can myself, too bad there really isn't anything out here to shoot, just guys in suits talking about Synergy."

HANNAH  
"See, even the random girl thinks it was a shit idea."

ZOEY  
"Hannah, Shut your fuckin' mouth."

Hannah scoffed, flipping Zoey the bird and heading back towards the car. Penny and Zoey shook their heads disapprovingly. Hannah wouldn't stay mad, but her constant need to make judgements was getting on their nerves. But Max knew, that's just how Hannah was.

MAX  
"Guys just leave it, she's got a point, what did I really expect to accomplish coming out here?"

PENNY  
"Hey its better than what we could be doing, I've been skate filming for the last couple days, its been getting repetitive."

Zoey addressed the young girl now straightening her ponytail.

ZOEY  
"You always come out to these things?"

EVE  
"Yeah, my dad's a big investor, he's got a tent up the hill, its just something he likes to do I guess, I never really had any interest. We're only in town for a couple more days, but he says there's always room for open ended opportunity."

ZOEY  
"Yeah... Whatever that means."

They share a laugh as the girl brushes the loose strands of hair out of her eyes.

MAX  
"So, your a photo-nerd too then?"

Eve chuckled to herself, digging through her bag to produce a Canon digital camera.

ZOEY  
"Damn, an SX60, not a bad start kid."

EVE  
"Yeah its pretty nice, not like what I want, but hopefully when I get done with school I can afford a better one."

ZOEY  
"Yeah, I thought that too..."

MAX  
"Where you transferring to?"

EVE  
"Well, My mom works with different people from all over the place, when I started wanting to really take off into Photography she set up a couple internships but unfortunately its hard to get any type of experience for a high school kid. So, she found a place close to where my Dad lives, a school that she says is pretty eye-opening."

MAX  
"Where?"

EVE  
"Oregon."

Max feels her heart drop. The breath is once again driven from her lungs.

MAX  
"Black-"

EVE  
"Blackwell Academy, how'd you know?"

The three girls look at each other, Max with an expression torn between alarm and intrigue.

ZOEY  
"What, a, Coincidence."

Zoey's playful tone matched with a couple flares of her head were funny enough to bring a chuckle out of Penny.

PENNY  
"That's really weird."

EVE  
"What?"

MAX  
"I Uhh.. Actually Went to Blackwell my senior year."

The girls eye's lit up.

EVE  
"What? No Way. How'd you like it?"

Max smiled nervously, the memories crashing back into her head. From Kate's suicide attempt, to Mark Jefferson and his Dark Room. And finally, the thought of her friend, Chloe Price.

MAX  
"It was... an experience."

EVE  
"My mom says its one of the best programs in the country, they even help you get placed, scholarships, references, stuff like that."

Max had taken advantage of a couple of the offers that Blackwell had given her. From the Everyday Heroes contest, to the letters of recommendation to the Colleges in the San Francisco Area.

MAX  
"Its still pretty hard."

EVE  
"Yeah, seems like it."

PENNY  
"It's not that bad, its just rough because the cost of living is so fucking high."

EVE  
"Yeah, I guess its a little bit cheaper up there, hopefully I can make it into the dorms, I'd hate to commute back and forth."

MAX  
"Everyone gets in the dorms, not always the best place to be, some of those kids can be really heartless."

EVE  
"So its like any High School, awesome."

In the distance, sirens can be heard. Sitting in the car, Hannah flipped on the Scanner mounted underneath the steering wheel, switching to the police ban. Zoey's ears perked up, her eyebrows flared a bit as she looks off toward the sound of the wailing sirens. Penny and Zoey share a mischievous grin as Max rolls her eyes.

MAX  
"Well I guess here, hang onto this Photo, maybe you'll find something better to do with it than me."

EVE  
"All... right."

Max Timidly handed her the photograph, the girl, unsure what to do with it tucked it into her pack with her camera supplies. She smiles as the three older girls run off towards the car, where Hannah has already jumped from the passengers seat of the car and is shouting up the hill.

HANNAH  
"Robbery, Hostage situation, 1 Montgomery Street, Wells Fargo Bank."

ZOEY  
"Alright lets get there!"

The girls piled into the car as the engine roared forward. Eve shakes her head as the car tears off towards the sounds of the Police Sirens. Hannah begins rifling through her bag, taking her camera and its accessories and clipping them together.

HANNAH  
"Right, we gotta get there before Those fucks from Up-town."

Penny was setting up her camera as well, running a couple seconds of video before hitting the record button. She took a video as Max adjusted the lens on her own camera, ready to get something someone would pay for. But as she snapped a sample photo her head started to throb again. The overwhelming pressure that she remembered before one of her many decisions.

ZOEY  
"Hannah, reach down there and get my shit ready, they're probably gonna have the place blocked off at least a block out, can you get anything on a route through it?"

Hannah flipped through Zoey's bag and pulled her camera out, turning it on and running a couple of photos. Zoey took the camera from her and set it in her lap as Hannah whipped through her phone's "Map" Application.

HANNAH  
"Hit This Left on Post!"

The tires burned as Zoey ripped the car outward along the outside edge of the curve, cornering sideways around a set of Taxis. Penny's hands were steady on her camera, trying to catch everything she could. The intersection at the bottom of the hill didn't have a light, with cars coming from Left to Right. Zoey feathered the gas, tapping the break momentarily to catch the break in traffic, slapping the shifter handle downwards and putting the power on, the car kicked sideways, making it through the gauntlet of perpendicular traffic.

MAX  
"Christ, Zoey!"

Zoey laughed to herself as the car charged on.

HANNAH  
"Whats wrong Max? Should we let you out?"

Max threw up a middle finger, bringing a cocky smile to Hannah's face. Zoey's eyes locked on the road she could see almost all the way down to the intersection where the Bank was located, a few streets up, the police had taped off the road, redirecting traffic towards Market Street. As the car launched over the next hump at the intersection the officer's eyes rose, seeing the black Grand National in full charge. He blew his whistle and waved his hands in the air.

HANNAH  
"If I didn't know better I'd say he wanted you to slow down."

ZOEY  
"What? Who?"

The two shared a grin as Zoey slammed the car into the next gear. The Police officer throws his wand to the ground and draws his side-arm. Zoey's eyes zero in on him, shaking her head, keeping her foot on the gas.

ZOEY  
"Penny, You Rolling?"

PENNY  
"I am!"

ZOEY  
"Well get ready I think this guys about to shoot me!"

Max feels it again, through the fear and the adrenaline already pumping through her the sudden pressure in her head. She begins to raise her hand, preparing to make the snap decision she never thought she'd have to make again. A thousand doubts racing through her mind, remembering the last time she saw her friend, and the choice to use time like some toy. Penny, right beside Max in the back seat notices Max hand raised towards the front of the car. Thinking she's holding onto the back of Zoey's chair.

PENNY  
"Max, We're fine!"

Suddenly the voices over the police scanner become more frantic.

SCANNER  
"They're In the Street! Multiple Subjects!, Automatic weapons, heading South on Market! Be Advised, Hostages are still in play."

HANNAH  
"ZOEY SLAM THIS RIGHT!"

As the officer pulls the trigger the car slides sideways, bullets rack into the side of the car, echoing inside the cab like someone hitting it with a baseball bat. The girls look around for a moment, patting themselves down.

ZOEY  
"That Mother Fucker!"

HANNAH  
"Everyone Good!?"

PENNY  
"I'm Up!"

MAX  
"Yeah, I'm... I'm Good!"

PENNY  
"I Got that shit on Video! Holy shit, that was awesome!"

The lane of traffic is blocked, Zoey looks for the opening between cars and dives for the sidewalk. Pushing the car through the crowds of people now diving out of the way.

HANNAH  
"You see those tracks, they run straight though the dead end."

Zoey sees the sign up ahead, hitting the horn as the car slides sideways through the intersection at the end of the street, heading into the end-line for the trolley system.

HANNAH  
"There's gonna be a blockade at the end of this!"

Zoey torques the wheel, letting the car drift sideways between the trees and the reinforced cement posts surrounding the end of the line. Taking the the passengers side mirror off the side of the car as it fits through the tight passage. As they reach Market street they see it, the set of Black SUV's smashing through the set of trash-cans and newspaper stands, sending debris flying in all directions. Zoey pulls the E-Brake and slides the car sideways in front of the set of police cars giving chase. Penny pans her camera around the cab towards the police cars lining up behind them.

SCANNER  
"Be Advised, we may have a third vehicle."

MAX  
"Are they about to shoot at us!?"

HANNAH  
"We'll See, just get ready to shoot!"

Max's mind is rotating faster than the engine, and a feeling of panic is forming in the back of her head, clouding her better judgement. As the Grand National pulls up to the rear of the Black SUV bullets begin to rip into the side of the car, strafing across the top of the windshield.

ZOEY  
"Oh these Mother Fuckers!"

She drops her hand off the shift-handle and under the dashboard, producing a compact pump action shotgun. She racks the first round into the chamber and braces it up on her driving hand, pumping a blast out her window and into the side of the Tahoe.

MAX  
"What about the hostages?!"

ZOEY  
"I'm Not Shooting at people, I'm shooting at Tires!"

Her passed experiences with the mob in full focus as she racks another round and puts it square on, letting the shell fly. The rear passengers side tire explodes, flaring rubber as the truck begins to fishtail. Hannah snaps a photo as the car screeches onto the sidewalk, ping-ponging between lamp-posts and the trees sticking out of the sidewalk, crashing into the side of one of the buildings on the right side of the road.

PENNY  
"Rock and Roll Zoey, Fuck Yeah!"

Max raises her Camera, snapping a few shots as the police swarm the vehicle. The subjects inside still rocked from the collision. She turns back to see the cars in full stop, the back of the second SUV is only a car length ahead, in the middle of the intersection of Market and the 101 Highway. Zoey's foot still firmly on the gas, the car smashes into the rear of the truck. Hannah's head smacks the windshield and Zoey's body hits the steering wheel. Max feels her head hit the back of Zoey's seat and sees Penny's body almost roll over the passengers seat. The camera still firmly in her hand, still rolling. The world spins momentarily but as it comes back together she sees him, the figure clad in black assault gear jump from the side of the SUV, his long hair flowing down the sides of his head, his dark beard, and dark brown eyes. Rounds begin flying from the end of his Assault Rifle. Bullets rack through the cab, she hears Zoey scream, and then Hannah. Penny's body bolts backwards as bullets rip through the front of the cab and pin her against the back seat. Her vision fills with the blood of the three girls as it begins to cover the inside of the cab, and its then that Max makes the call, she holds up her hand.

The world turns a deep shade of blue, as the actions begin rewinding inside her head, the pressure builds as the bullets rip from their bodies and return to the barrel of the rifle. Her head throbbing with each of the three girls she brings back. The car pulls itself away from the end of the SUV. Her head begins to feel like its going to Pop as she pulls out of her Rewind, just after the first SUV tumbles off the side of the road. She turns, reaching in between the seats and yanks the E-brake upwards, locking the back wheels. Zoey turns the steering wheel, sliding the car sideways into the intersection, still several feet behind the second SUV.

MAX  
"GET DOWN!"

She screams as she pulls Penny's head into the floorboards, Hannah and Zoey turn to see the man jumping from the side of the truck. Ducking as bullets begin to rip through the windows over their heads. As bullets rain down Penny's motives never change, looking into the view finder she sees the images coming through are blurred. She stops the tape momentarily, resuming recording as she hears Zoey yell over the popping.

ZOEY  
"HANNAH! THE GLOVE BOX!"

Hannah quickly pops open the glove compartment, a black 1911, complete with a matching color compensator and extended clip falls from the inside and onto the floor. Zoey reaches over Hannah, pumping a shotgun blast towards the maniac as Hannah slams the hammer back and blind fires over the side of the door. Max looks up as the cops begin rolling up on either side of their car. Penny keeps the camera rolling as two of the other bank robbers leap from the vehicle, dumping rounds towards the onslaught of officers now pouring into the intersection.

Hannah pushes the car door open, dumping round after round towards the shooters up ahead. Max watches on as she makes it only a few steps, before falling to the ground. Her head still pounding she opens up again in full rewind. Bringing Hannah up off the street and back into the car as the door shuts she kicks back into reality, head about to burst she reaches into the front seat and pulls Hannah back from the door.

MAX  
"ZOEY GET US THE FUCK OUT OF HERE!"

The driver of the black SUV begins backing up and pulling forward, trying desperately to smash its way through the accident, as his friends scatter to either side, sending a hail of bullets towards them. The girls are now slammed in a crossfire, between the San Francisco Police and the terrorists in the intersection.

Max looks towards the wreckage, seeing the driver jump from the SUV followed closely by a woman from the opposite side, the look of terror upon her face drives Max's hero complex into full swing. The frightened hostage ducks for cover behind the SUV as the driver leaps over the cars piled in the center of the intersection.

MAX  
"WE'VE GOTTA GET THESE GUYS AWAY FROM THAT TRUCK!"

Zoey nods her head as she throws her door open, pulling Hannah out with her. Max throws the seat forward and leaps from the car, Penny falling onto the ground right behind her. They keep their heads down momentarily as bullets from both sides continue to pepper the side of the car. Max looks around in sheer panic for a moment before being ripped off the ground and thrown to the side, Hannah's strength is almost inhuman as she manhandles Penny and Max into cover behind the bricks surrounding the subway steps to the left side of the street.

PENNY  
"Max, your bleeding again!"

She reaches for her face, and indeed. Her nose is pouring a steady stream of crimson, she begins to taste copper as the blood drips into her mouth.

MAX  
"I'm Fine!"

Hannah and Zoey are pushed up against the wall, Hannah drops the clip out of the weapon, checking her ammo count. As she turns to Zoey she notices something, a small round tear in her jacket, and another right beside it, red stains lining them both.

HANNAH  
"Zoey, you good?"

Zoey turns, completely unaware of what Hannah is seeing.

ZOEY  
"I'm fine, we gotta get that Woman the fuck outta there."

Hannah nods, the holes couldn't have always been there, she thinks to herself. She pulls Zoey back into cover.

HANNAH  
"No, Look!"

She pulls her jacket outwards, showing Zoey the holes. But Zoey only pushes her hand away, quickly turning back to the road, the woman now crying from the middle of the intersection. Max knows she can get there, she would have to almost break herself but she could make it to the intersection. Getting herself out would be the hard part. It would be almost stupid, everyone would see her snap from one place to another. How would she explain it, she couldn't.

HANNAH  
"Alright Zoey, we're gonna have to move cover to cover, I'll move up to the car on the left."

Penny and Max begin rolling film as Hannah dashes forward. Firing a couple rounds over the top of the wreckage in the street and rolling into cover. Max snaps shot after shot as Hannah stands over the top of the car and covers Zoey as she approaches.

ZOEY  
"HOW MANY SHOTS YOU GOT LEFT!?"

HANNAH  
"SEVEN!"

ZOEY  
"I'VE GOT THE BIGGER GUN, I'LL MOVE RIGHT, GET SOME OF THIS FIRE OFF YOU! WE CAN USE THE POLICE AS THE BASE-OF-FIRE."

Hannah nods as Zoey bolts from cover, sliding up behind her own car again. Waving towards the police to re-position to the right, a set of police in Combat Gear nod, firing over the top of the car and move off to the right side of the road. Max looks on as Zoey pumps a couple rounds towards them through the cab of the Grand National, Taking most of the fire off of Hannah. As her friend jumps from behind cover one of the Terrorists spots her, his bullets strafe across her chest, dropping her back to the pavement, spitting blood, choking. Max hurdles the barrier in full rewind. Her head now throbbing more than ever as she tears through time itself, making her jump towards the car where Hannah is now returning.

As she lets reality back in she grabs Hannah by the back of her Jacket, ripping her back into cover.

HANNAH  
"What The Fuck!?"

MAX  
"WAIT!"

HANNAH  
"What The Fuck Are You Doing Here?!"

MAX  
"SAVING YOUR FUCKING LIFE YOU UNGRATEFUL BITCH!"

Hannah, is surprised, and a bit confused she looks down at her friend who is obviously out of breath, blood still pouring from her nose. Max looks towards Zoey, who is pumping round after round towards the men on the other side of the line of cars. She takes a couple of seconds to collect herself and then turns back to Hannah.

MAX  
"I can get you in there, Just do everything that I say!"

HANNAH  
"What do you mea-"

MAX  
"JUST GO NOW!"

She shoves Hannah out from behind cover, straight towards the woman crawling away from the rear of the SUV. Hannah can feel Max's hand firmly planted on the back of her collar, she rips her to the right, dodging a set of bullets that rip into the pavement. Then suddenly back to the left as she hears the snapping of bullets as they fly passed her ear. She throws Hannah, sliding across the ground, rolling to a stop at the edge of the SUV. Max ducks herself hard to the left and sweeps the woman back into cover behind the truck as bullets rack into the pavement where she had just been. Hannah can only look on in a state of shock, unable to believe what she has just witnessed.

HANNAH  
"O-Okay Max, H-How do we get out of here!?"

MAX  
"Working On it!"

Hannah turns to fire a few rounds, but just before bullets rip through her again, is yanked back into cover as the bullets rip through the windows of the SUV, sending glass and shards of metal raining down over them.

MAX  
"Damnit Hannah!"

Max looks around, looking for any possible exit strategies, its then she sees it. Under one of the cars up ahead she can see gas pouring onto the ground, a puddle almost a foot in diameter running towards the feet of the would be Bank Robbers on the other side. Max taps Hannah on the shoulder and points it out, Hannah smirks at Max, lying down sideways on the pavement and pumping a few rounds towards the gasoline. The bullets skip off the pavement, sparking. Max pulls the scared woman back against the side of the Truck as the car lights up, sending a plume of fire into the air. Hannah rolls back to her feet, pushing the two backwards, falling back to cover behind the car to the left of the road.

The police rush forward, pushing up on Zoey, guns set firmly on her. She tosses her shotgun to the side and raises her hands in the air. They quickly roll her onto her stomach and place her in handcuffs as more Police swarm around the car, rushing in to apprehend the suspects who have been downed by the explosion.

Penny, who has been rolling film this entire time has managed to get it all on tape. As the police approach the girls Max and Hannah both throw their hands in the air, sliding the pistol to the feet of the approaching officers. The woman is led away as the three girls are placed into handcuffs, the last thing Penny's camera catches is her, being rolled onto her stomach, giving the camera a defiant tongue as she is lifted off the ground.

As the girls are lead away from the wreckage, more shots can be heard in the distance, as the police are still locked in a battle with whatever is left of the escaping terrorists. Zoey takes one last look at her car, now covered in bullet holes, shaking her head in disappointment. Penny's camera still dangling around her neck, filming has stopped. Hannah with a look of disgust upon her face as the police manhandle the three girls towards awaiting squad cars. Max looking around, the bodies of fallen police officers line the streets. "All these people" she thinks to herself. "If there was only a way I Could have helped them."

HANNAH  
"We Haven't done anything wrong! What the fuck is wrong with you guys. Clean your friends up off the fucking Street!"

The officer ignored Hannah, shoving her into the backseat of the squad car along with Zoey. Penny and Max were led passed the ambulance, where the woman they had just rescued was being looked over by a paramedic. The woman locked eyes with Max as the two girls passed her.

WOMAN  
"Why are you Arresting Them!?"

OFFICER  
"Ma'am, we only need them for questioning."

WOMAN  
"Whats to question, Those girls saved my Life, couldn't you see!?"

Her words echo in Max's head as the two are shoved into the back of the police cruiser. Penny wrestles for a moment, taking her hands underneath her tiny figure and pulling them out the front. Max struggles to do the same, Penny reaches over and helps her fit her arms around her body in the tight space.

PENNY  
"You okay?"

MAX  
"Yeah, I'm fine, how about you?"

PENNY  
"Yeah I'm good, that was pretty amazing what you guys did out there, I've never seen anything like it, one second you were right beside me, the next you were right in the middle of that shit."

MAX  
"Just... knew I had to act I guess."

PENNY  
"Your like a super hero, you took Hannah right up to that lady, you were like Neo the way you guys dodged all those bullets."

MAX  
"I've had to dodge a few before, nothing special."

PENNY  
"It is special, something I haven't seen in... a long time."

There was a hesitation in her voice as her head turned, looking off into the cold steel in front of her. Like she knew what she had seen, the thought put Max on edge. She looked over her shoulder to the other police car now coming around the side of the Ambulance, Hannah and Zoey no doubt were giving the officers hell. As the car pulled in front she could see Zoey's car, mutilated by the sheer number of bullet holes that peppered the sides of it.

MAX  
"You know Zoey is pissed."

PENNY  
"She'll get it back, that cars been wrecked a couple times."

MAX  
"Not like this, this was... out of control."

PENNY  
"You get anything good?"

MAX  
"Didn't have time, you get it on film?"

PENNY  
"Your damn right I did."

She pulled the small HDD out of the side of the camera, tucking it into her belt-line. Max's head spinning, they are driven to the The Police Commission, off of Bryant street, not the closest precinct to the shootout, but the most secure. The girls are brought in through the back, into a large parking deck behind the fence. They are led through a sliding Sally-port, the smell of government cleaning products fills Max's nostrils as a sinking sense of dread comes over her. She can't stop her hands from shaking, she's never been in police custody before. Personal effects such as their phones and Penny's camcorder are placed into separate containers. As they are sat down in the windowless holding cell Penny notices her friend's shaking hands.

PENNY  
"Hey, its okay."

Max sniffles out of fear, tears forming in her eyes.

MAX  
"For you, You've been here before, we were just trying to help someone!"

HANNAH  
"Max we're fine, they can't charge us with anything, your right, we just were trying to help."

PENNY  
"Hey, we're here together, that's all that matters."

HANNAH  
"Yeah, you got me out of there Max, your Amazing."

Hannah rubbed Max's head reassuringly as Max slowly nodded her head.

ZOEY  
"Yeah, if you hadn't ripped that E-Brake when you did we probably would have gone right into the back of those guys, how'd you know?"

Max turned away, towards the cold white concrete where words had been scribbled.

"The Truth is All that Matters in a Place like This."

She covers her face, unable to decide whether or not to say anything at all. She begins to softly sob.

PENNY  
"Hey, Don't Cry Girl, we gotta be tough."

Penny wraps her arms around her crying friend, Max lets her face fall into Penny's chest. Its only now that the gravity and stress of the entire situation hits her, pushing a pressure into her chest that she has never felt before. In such a short time, she watched all of them die, and they didn't even know. Zoey sits down on the other side of Max, wrapping her arms around her as well. As Hannah sits on the bench, leaning her head back against the cold concrete wall.

HANNAH  
"Group hugs, Nobody does that anymore."

PENNY  
"You know what nobody does, jump in the middle of a police chase, and almost get themselves shot the fuck up."

ZOEY  
"Right! I can't believe that just happened I just... wanted a couple shots."

HANNAH  
"Well I'd say we got'em... right?"

The four girls share a nervous laugh, bringing Max back out of her emotions. She wipes the tears from her face and looks up as Zoey slides back across the floor, sitting against the wall.

ZOEY  
"But Seriously, Max, how'd you do that? You stopped us from hitting those people."

HANNAH  
"Yeah, and you took me through that hail of bullets, like you already know where they were going to be, I've never seen anything like that."

PENNY  
"Yeah, and even in the view finder I couldn't see you move from where we were, to where Hannah was standing, its like you..."

MAX  
"Teleported?"

PENNY  
"Yeah..."

Penny's head turned to the side, the three girls eyes locked on Max, she rubbed her eyes, shaking her head as she sniffled. Decided finally, to tell the girls the things about herself that she had never been able to say to anyone.

MAX  
"Where does someone begin to say something like this?"

Penny grips her friend tighter, reassuring her.

PENNY  
"At the beginning."

The events skipping off the inside of her skull, still printed as clearly as the day they happened. The sadness in Kate's eyes that day in Mark Jefferson's class, and her face as she turned to jump. The gun she held in her hands as she pointed it at David. The fear standing before the train rushing towards her. Chloe sitting in that Wheelchair, begging to be killed. Jefferson's face looking down at her that night in the junk-yard. The cold feeling of the chair inside his dark room. And what it was like to say a final goodbye to her best friend.

MAX  
"When I was 18, I saw... I saw my best friend get killed right in front of me. It was... The most horrible thing I had ever gone through. I dont know what it was, whether it was by chance, some force of nature... or a power that I always had."

HANNAH  
"Power?"

MAX  
"To look into the future, I never figured out if I was actually inhabiting another timeline, or making it up as I went, but everything I saw, happened, again, and again, until I made the decision to stop it. It was something I could never explain, to anyone."

ZOEY  
"What are you saying?"

MAX  
"I'm telling you, that I can change the future, today in that intersection, was the most I've used it in over two years."

There were a few moments of silence between the girls, looking back and forth at each other.

PENNY  
"This is alot to wrap my head around, like the type of shit you see on Creepypasta."

ZOEY  
"Or the shit you read about in those Sci-Fi magazines."

MAX  
"Believe me, if it wasn't me, I would never believe it myself. But here we are, aren't we?"

Hannah has been sitting in the corner of the cell, shaking her head back and forth for the entirety of the conversation. A Silence fell over the four girls sitting in the room, Zoey stepping to the doorway, looking out the small window in the door. Memories swirling inside of her head as well.

ZOEY  
"There's no way this is happening..."

MAX  
"Believe it Zoey! It doesn't matter if you do or don't, if I want I could take all of this back right now, but I haven't so here we are still locked in this conversation."

PENNY  
"This is impossible, like something out of a movie or a video game."

ZOEY  
"I'm thinking of a number..."

Max slowly nods her head.

MAX  
"I told you wouldn't believe me, I'll play your fucking game... its two"

ZOEY  
"It was six"

Max smiles, shaking her head and holding her hand up, rewinding the conversation. As the blood begins to pour from her nose again she stops, letting reality fall back into place.

ZOEY  
"I'm thinking of a -"

MAX  
"Its Six."

Zoey holds her breath, the lump in her throat sliding down into her chest.

ZOEY  
"Lucky Guess..."

Zoey slides herself down the cell-door to the cold floor. Hannah looks across the room at her friend.

HANNAH

"She's telling the truth..."

All the eyes in the room lock themselves on her. Penny's eyes filling with tears, hiding it behind the sleeves of her hoodie. As the P.A. system clicks on inside the small room.

OFFICER  
"We'll be bringing you girls out for questioning, you'll be placed in separate rooms, I can't say whether charges will be brought up or not, Which of you is Miss Ryback?"

Zoey stands, letting the camera that's been placed in the corner of the room see her.

OFFICER  
"Your Car was impounded, you can pick it up if and when you are released, everyone have a seat against the wall."

Zoey quietly nods her head, sitting down on the bench across the room.

PENNY  
"What do we say to them."

HANNAH  
"Exactly what happened."

ZOEY  
"What that Max is a walking, talking, Delorean?"

MAX  
"Fuck You, Zoey."

HANNAH  
"Guys, we're photographers, chasing a story, that's all, how the hell were we supposed to know any of that was going to happen."

MAX  
"We put ourselves in that situation though."

HANNAH  
"Max you don't have to say anything if you don't want to, they can't bring us up on anything they can hold us for, not with what we have."

ZOEY  
"Yeah, and what do we have."

HANNAH  
"Penny's video."

As the door clicks open a set of police officers for each of the girls enters the room, bringing them out one and a time. Max feels the sinking feeling in her heart again. She looks to her friends as they are being led away. Hannah, looking into Max's eyes, whispers words that bring the feeling of confidence right back.

"I Believe You."

Max nods her head as the door slams shut behind her. She is lead down a hallway and into a small office. A Metal desk in the center against the wall, a man in a white collared shirt sitting on one side. The officers sit her down and without a word exit the room. The man goes over a set of papers, glancing up at Max every once in a while who has taken to rubbing her shoulders nervously in the cold room.

"Miss Caulfield my Name is Detective Spilner with the San Francisco Police department."

Max nods her head shakily as the Detective throws the manila folder onto the table in front of her.

DETECTIVE SPILNER  
"Now, first, I want to express my surprise, a girl like you, getting tied up with these types of people is kind of disappointing. Do you really know who your friends are?"

Max shakes her head, the Detective fluffs his mustache with his upper lip as he flips out the wrap sheets. First is Zoey.

DETECTIVE SPILNER  
Zoey Jae Ryback, one of Detroit's... more distinguished cases. Been in and out of Jail since she was a teenager, and has known ties to a Russian Mob family.

He flips the paper over, the next is Hannah.

DETECTIVE SPILNER  
"Hannah Marie Williams, a former United States Marine. Been to all sides of the globe in her short life, done some pretty remarkable things if I do say so myself. Things that make even a 20 year man envious, to say the least."

And finally, Penny.

DETECTIVE SPILNER  
And Penelope Anne Taylor. She is the only one of your group that actually fits together, with someone like you. Has a job uptown, works days, and at night finds herself working towards a goal that is community oriented. Now, my question is, what brings a rag-tag group of girls like yourselves together, Hm?"

Max swallows the lump in her throat, finding the confidence in herself to lock eyes with the detective.

MAX  
"We weren't trying to hurt anyone, we're just photographers."

The detective presumptuously nods his head.

DETECTIVE SPILNER  
"Than why was it you found yourselves in that intersection today, no, why was it, You, Maxine Caulfield, found yourself in that intersection today? Your record has been clean, good school, marks for social standing, and now this, what do you think this was?"

MAX  
"We heard it over the radio, we wanted to see if we could make some shots for the paper, its how people like us make money."

DETECTIVE SPILNER  
"Right, taking pictures, while everyone else around you is..."

MAX  
"Is What Sir?"

DETECTIVE SPILNER  
"You think what you do is honorable? You photographers?"

MAX  
"We tell stories Detective, sometimes stories that need to be told, this time unfortunately the story is filled with bullets and dead police officers, believe me if I could have acted, if I could have stopped any of it I-"

DETECTIVE SPILNER  
"Unfortunately Miss Caulfield, the story doesn't end well, now I've got you. And I don't think you are going anywhere for quite some time. Officer! Show Miss Caulfield to a bed."

Max cringes at the thought, the officer opens the door as the Detective begins to gather the papers. She feels the world once again fall to gray, blurry as looking through painted glass. She holds up her hand, seeing the spiral in the center of her vision. She pulls it back, all the way, as far as she can take it. Until she once again finds herself sitting in the chair, the detective's cold eyes looking into hers.

DETECTIVE SPILNER

"-a rag-tag group of girls like yourselves together, Hm?"

MAX  
"A bit of luck I guess, because we did some good out there, your boys saw it. That lady in that intersection, she was afraid, and we were the only ones close enough to actually make a difference. We did what we had to do, not because we had to, or because we were legally obligated, because we knew it was the right thing to do. And if you think for a second that we weren't terrified, your wrong. Now I don't know care you think about me, what you think about us as photographers. But we made a difference, maybe even all the difference, do whatever you want, my conscience is clear."

Max's cold gaze is well met, the officer slowly nods his head. A Smirk crossing his lips as he draws the papers back into the Manila folder.

DETECTIVE SPILNER  
"Perhaps your right Miss Caulfield, now as much as I would like to, I'm not in the position to charge you girls with anything, but rest assured the San Francisco P.D. Will be keeping in touch. Officer, Show Miss Caulfield the way out."

As Max is lead out the front of the police station she sees that Zoey is already standing there, smoking a cigarette. Clouds are beginning to form overhead, coming in off the coast a storm is brewing. Zoey turns to Max, flipping one from her pack and offering it to her, Max shakes her head.

ZOEY  
"Oh Thats Right... Too Good."

MAX  
"Why are you always like that?..."

Zoey chuckles to herself, tucking the pack into her jacket pocket.

ZOEY  
"There's a Storm coming."

Max slowly nods her head, staring off into the flashes of lightning among the clouds over the bay.

MAX  
"Yeah... there is."

ZOEY  
"I Guess I'm off to the impound Yard, figure out what the hell they did with my car, get up with me tomorrow I guess we'l go over more of this... situation of yours."

 **Max** nods her head as Zoey heads off down the street. As Max finds her way towards the bus stop, she can't stop thinking about Hannah, and the words she spoke in that cell. Did she really believe her, or was she just trying to keep her from breaking. These thoughts rode with her all the way home. Until she laid her head down on the pillow. She wouldn't sleep well tonight, she tucked her headphones into her ears and drifted off into thought, thoughts of Chloe, thoughts of Arcadia, of the storm overhead. Looking into the drawing on her wall, a Doe and Butterfly.

Across town, **Zoey** was getting home as well, having pulled her car out of the Impound yard, still drive-able but in need of a major overhaul. The things Max had said to her filling her thoughts. She recalled home, the things that happened to her, the things she knew to be true, her own secrets. She pulled her jacket off, looking down at the holes through her shirt, the holes that Hannah had showed her. There indeed were two shots, and the marks on her body were quickly fading to scars, the stains of blood still running down her skin, over her Tattoo, a Hawk, proudly sitting upon a branch, swaying under a deadly storm.

 **Hannah** chose instead to work off some of the day, some of the frustration in the gym. This is where she found her solace when things weren't going her way. Her hands taped up, her slim figure outlined by her tight work-out outfit. She was going hard on a heavy bag, filled with sand. The type of bag boxer's used for training, it shook and rattled the rafters as her fists crashed into it. Her fists pumping with the pain of every shot, fading as the nerve endings were beaten down. She went until she couldn't anymore, pushing herself harder than she had in a while, she finally stopped, letting the rocking rafters fall silent, and there on the ground, a stream of sand began to fall from the broken heavy bag.

 **Penny** , alone in her room looked into the mirror. Wiping the make-up from her face, her head too still stuck in the things Max had said to them in that cell. Shaking her head in confusion, in disbelief. "Could this Really be happening all over again?" She thought. What would the other girls think if... if she told them the truth as well. Across her bedroom a picture was framed, a painting she had purchased from the Art Gallery back home, A Small Red Fox. She turned back into her bedroom, flipping the flash drive into her laptop, she begins going over the footage she had gone over today. She watched the chase, up until the moment where her camera stopped rolling the first time, where it became distorted. Through the haze and twisted images she can hear it, the screaming, the bullets, she adjusts the image and sees it, the faces of the two girls in the front seat, and the blood, and Max holding up her hand.

And finally **Eve** , with her father in the sitting room, looking at the picture Max had given her. Thinking of the four girls she had met that day in the park. A soft smile upon her face, almost satisfied, knowledgeable. She looked Out the window at the storm over the buildings stretching into the distance. Listening to the thunder rolling into the background. Taking the picture from her table and pinning it inside her school folder, next to a drawing she had done.

A Single, Blue, Butterfly

-Cut to Black-


End file.
